Teeth and all that!
The role of the equine massage therapist and equine teeth…is that such a thing??
Recently, I reached out to my veterinarian @Equidoc, and I was fortunate to have Dr. Liz Forbes come out to treat my American Saddlebred, Forest. The reason Forest needed attention was that his chiropractor, Dr. Kevin Landau of Landau Veterinary Services, noticed some sharp edges on his teeth while adjusting him.
I checked my calendar and saw that Forest’s last dental appointment was only six months ago. So, what happened? It turns out that, being a younger horse with a more refined muzzle, Forest will require more frequent dental appointments.
Although the sharp edges were just beginning to form and a small hook was starting to develop, they had already caused some irritation to his cheeks and tongue. This made me wonder—what if Dr. Landau hadn’t come out? Why did Forest’s teeth become sharp, and how did I not notice any issues?
To answer the first question, let’s look at the structure of a horse’s mouth. According to Dr. Liz, breeding and evolution have led to changes in the anatomy and structure of the mouth. Specifically, the jaw is now narrower than the skull. As a horse chews, its teeth grind together, and sharp edges and hooks can form due to the difference in size and spacing of the teeth. The upper teeth tend to sharpen on the outside, causing irritation and wounds on the cheek, while the lower teeth wear unevenly on the inside, leading to similar irritations and wounds on the tongue.
Now, to address the second question: Horses vary widely in their stoicism. We all know that some horses can be melodramatic about minor pain, while others have such a high pain tolerance that they might hide even serious injuries.
The melodramatic horse would likely show signs of mouth issues by going off feed, reducing hay consumption, dropping hay balls (quidding), or chewing awkwardly.
But what about the stoic horses that don’t show obvious signs of discomfort? Are there subtle clues that can indicate mouth pain? Yes, there are a few signs to watch for:
But what about the stoic horses that don’t show obvious signs of discomfort? Are there subtle clues that can indicate mouth pain? Yes, there are a few signs to watch for:
—Refusing to take a bit. This might manifest as raising or lowering the head, tightening the lips, clenching the teeth, or actively avoiding the bridle
—When riding, the horse may tuck its chin into its chest (behind the vertical) or, conversely, lift its chin high to avoid bit contact with painful areas of the mouth.
—Sudden difficulty bending in one direction.
—Head tossing when rein contact is made.
—Clamping down on the bit once it’s in the mouth, which can cause the tongue to retract and lead to tightness in the poll, ears, forehead, and jaw muscles.
As an equine massage therapist, I frequently work on horses with knots on their mandible (the large, round part of the jaw). I used to attribute these knots to bit use, but I learned from Forest’s case that these knots can form even in horses that haven’t had a bit in their mouth for over a year.
Whether being ridden or not, abnormal head positioning during chewing, bridling, or riding to relieve mouth pain can cause muscle tension that locks up the poll and neck. This tension can create a ripple effect down the muscular chain, affecting not only the head and neck but also causing tightness in the lower neck, pectorals, withers, and back muscles. These can be even subtler signs of mouth pain.
As a bodyworker, I’ll be sure to inform my clients about these knots and suggest they consult their vet about whether their horse might need dental work.